Friends, we miss big time when we think that
success depends on our own strength and ability alone. Time and again
the Word of God keeps reminding me that success in everything we do is
only possible when we put God first.
Below is a
chart (supposedly, but because of formatting problem, it's a list now)
showing the comparison between the "righteous/godly" and the
"wicked/ungodly" in Psalm 1.
RIGHTEOUS/GODLY
(v. 1) does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
(v. 2) he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night
(v. 3) He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts
(v. 6a) Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly
WICKED/UNGODLY
(v. 4) they are like wind-driven chaff
(v. 5) the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly
(v. 6b) but the way of the wicked ends in destruction
Notice how the psalmist described the "righteous/godly:" "he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night." As a result, the righteous "succeeds in everything he attempts."
And the most rewarding of all is this: "the Lord guards the way of the godly." The NET Bible explained this phrase elaborately this way:
Heb “the Lord knows the way of the righteous.” To “know a way” means, in its most basic sense, “to recognize/acknowledge a pathway, route, or prescribed way of life” (see Josh 3:4; Job 21:14; Ps 67:2; Isa 42:16; Jer 5:4-5). Here it could refer to the Lord recognizing the behavior of the godly and, by metonymy, rewarding their godliness with security and prosperity (resulting in the translation, “the Lord rewards the behavior of the godly”). The present translation takes the verb in the sense of “mark out” (cf. Job 23:10), which metonymically could mean “watch over, protect, guard.” In this case the “way of the godly” is not their behavior, but their course of life or destiny; a translation reflecting this would be “the Lord protects the lives of the godly” or “the Lord watches over the destiny of the godly” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
Who
else can better watch over us other than the Lord Himself? Who else can
better reward us with security and prosperity than Him who created the
world and everything in it? Who else can better grant us success than
God Himself who made you and me?
There is no
such thing as "it's too late" as long as we still breathe. Success comes
to those who finds pleasure in obeying God's commands so let us ask God
for courage to turn away from our ungodly lifestyles and live a life
that pleases Him above all; a life that seeks to obey His commands day
in and day out.
There is no doubt that he who
walks in the way of the Lord will find success in everything he does
because it is the Lord Himself that watches over His destiny granting
him security and prosperity. A simple mathematical formula for this can
be: finding pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands + godly lifestyle = God's protection and success in everything one does.
Looking
for success? Find it by giving the control of your life to God and by
seeking to live a life that obeys the Lord's commands above all.
Disclaimer:
Living a life that obeys God's commands above all is not always easy
and comfortable, but it is definitely a life worth living. Why? Simply
because "finding pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands + godly lifestyle = God's protection and success in everything one does." :-)
